The Countdown
by Ralieber
Summary: There's a new technology that counts down to the exact second when you will meet your soulmate. It's called a timer and Regina Mills has one. What happens when she drunkenly meets Emma Swan at a college party? AU, Swan Queen, rated M for language and future chapters. *Loosely based off the movie "TiMER" (which I do not own).
1. Chapter 1

***DISCLAIMER* I do not own the movie "TiMER", the characters, or OUaT**

***Rated M for language and future chapters***

**A/N: **I've had the idea for this story in my head for months now. This is based off of/inspired by the movie "TiMER". If you haven't seen it, you definitely should. (If you have seen it, this story will not follow the movie much, just the premise.) This story will be AU, Emma and Regina are the same age in their final year of college, and they both have their families. Henry will not be in this story, sorry. I plan on making this quite a few chapters (hopefully 20+). Updates will be at least once a week if not more (depending on the interest shown in this story). Please read and review to let me know what you think! :)

**Chapter One**

Regina Mills woke up to the sun shinning through her bedroom blinds. She rolled over and looked at the clock. 8:30. Thank god she finally slept in on a Saturday. Well, slept in for her. Since it was the weekend she had no obligations to uphold and school didn't start until next week. The day was completely hers to do whatever she wanted. That meant sleep until 8:30 and finish her school shopping. The brunette was so excited for school to start. It was was her last year in the undergraduate program at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She loved getting assignments and the pleasure that came along with completing them and then receiving them back with an 'A'. So it was no wonder that she equally enjoyed fresh notebooks and writing utensils to help keep her organized.

The young woman stretched out her slender limbs and looked down at her right wrist. She let out a sigh as it appeared no different than usual. There was a blank, gray strip implanted there showing absolutely nothing. The timer had been installed as a gift from her mother on her eighteenth birthday. Well her mother thought of it as a gift, Regina had been thinking of it as more of a curse now. The timer was supposed to tell her the exact moment in which she would meet her soulmate. However, in the almost four years she had it, it never fleshed up a time. She was beginning to think that she may not even have a soulmate. Of course she only said that once to her mother, who in turn told her not to be ridiculous. Naturally, she never mentioned anything about the timer to her mother again.

Regina couldn't help but feel like she would never be worthy of love. With her timer not giving her an answer about the person she should end up with, it drove her crazy and obsessed in every relationship. In fact, her last relationship ended because she couldn't stop nagging him to get one. When he finally did, her timer failed to turn on while his showed a mere few days. They were in love and discussed marriage but Regina couldn't finalize anything until the timer confirmed her beliefs. She ended things because she their relationship would lead nowhere.

So she got out of her bed and started her day like usual; with her head held high and the faintest bit of hope in her heart. She showered and got ready in a form fitting light pink dress that stopped halfway to her knees. Her shoulder length brown hair held a slight wave and looked as perfect as usual. She paired some black heels with her dress to make her short stature appear taller than normal. After she sprayed herself with some coconut spray she was pleased with the final product and left her apartment in the neighborhood of Georgetown.

Regina was truly grateful for all that she had been blessed with in life. She grew up in a rather large house in Connecticut pretty close to New York City as an only child with her mother and father. Her father was a lawyer with his firm based in the city and her mother was a published author. It was no surprise that she wanted to follow in his footsteps and become a successful lawyer as well. She had hopes to open her own firm by the time she was 32. Regina had remained extremely close to her Latino father since she was a baby. Her relationship with her mother was off and on: usually off. She was demanding and critical, especially when it came to Regina's romantic relationships.

When the brunette was sixteen, she realized that she was fond of both the male and female genders. Cora was less than thrilled when she brought her first girlfriend home. Henry, on the other hand, loved his daughter regardless of who she dated. For that, she was extremely grateful.

As soon as it was time for Regina to go off to college she wanted a chance to be on her own and out of the clutches of her mother. Plus, Georgetown would be perfect to prepare her for law school. So her parents decided to buy her an apartment to live in so she didn't have to bear living in a dorm room with a roommate.

Regina's phone beeped in her purse and she went to retrieve it. A smile graced her face when she was that it was from her best friend.

**Ariel: **Hey bitch! Finally got back to town. Landon's throwing a back to school party tonight and we're going. I'll be at your place at 7 to get ready. Love ya :)

An eye roll escaped from Regina. Her best friend was rather brash and always made Regina go to parties she didn't want to attend. The only thing that made the parties bearable was that she always got free alcohol.

Ariel clicked with Regina immediately in their freshman seminar course. Only Ariel would forget a pen and paper on the first day of class and ask Regina to borrow some. Even though she was not looking forward to going to the party, she was excited to see the California native.

* * *

"Oh my god. Regina, you _have _to wear that tonight," Ariel gushed over the outfit that she was trying on.

"Are you sure this isn't inappropriate?"

"Of course it is, but it's perfect. Especially because when you're about three drinks in you'll be complaining about how horny you are."

"I will not!" Regina was appalled at the assumption.

"Mmmhmm, we'll see about that in three hours."

Regina rolled her eyes and inspected her appearance in the full length mirror. Her hair was slicked back and she wore some daisy duke shorts with a black crop top that could easily pass for a bikini top. She had some fancy sandals on which completed her outfit. She didn't want to seem conceited but she honestly did look great. Anyone would be grateful for the chance to talk to her tonight.

"Shall we go get some dinner?"

The two women left arm in arm to a sports bar a block away.

The bar was packed when they got in. Usually, Regina wouldn't be caught dead in a space like this. The only reason they came here was because the food was cheap and the drink specials were amazing.

Ariel ordered them each a shot of tequila and some food to go along with it.

"Liquor before beer, have no fear!" They toasted themselves before downing the shots.

Deciding to stock up on liquor seemed to be the smartest thing to do since the only thing they serve at these house parties was cheap beer.

* * *

Five shots each and dinner later, the two friends made their way down to the party. They were giggling and already walking crookedly. As they opened the door, the party was already in full force. There was noise coming from the speakers that blared music and from the people catching up from their summer and playing drinking games.

Ariel immediately went over to her friends from the English department and began chatting away. Regina looked around the room until her eyes settled on the fridge.

_Drinks. Finally._

As she reached her hand into the fridge a voice called out behind her.

"Hey! What the fuck do you think you're doing in there?!"

She whipped around and was prepared to defend herself until she realized it was her friend.

"Landon! I've missed you, how are you," they grabbed each other in an embrace.

"Missing some Regina Mills, that's how I've been. Grab a beer, have some fun."

Regina smiled and downed a beer, ready for a second. She hung out with her friend for about thirty minutes before they made their way over to the beer pong table.

Immediately, Regina's eyes locked on a tall, skinny blonde dominating the current game. She scanned her body and appreciated her long, toned legs that housed a pair of shorts and a torso (which she could only assume held toned abs as well) which was covered with a black muscle tank showing off her lacy bra underneath. Her long, blonde hair hung in waves down her back almost to her perfectly sculpted ass.

"You know, if you take a picture it'll last longer." Landon snapped Regina out of her daze.

"Pardon?"

"Emma. You're staring at her and not even trying to hide it. You can always go talk to her."

Regina blushed, "Oh no, I can't do that,". She felt her heart start to race.

Landon laughed at the flustered brunette. "Come on, I'll introduce you two." He grabbed her by the hand.

"No, no, no. Not yet. I need another drink first."

Regina spun around to go to the fridge and failed to notice that the blonde girl started watching her as well.

She pulled two drinks out of the fridge and found Ariel in the living room flirting with some guy she'd never seen before.

"I know, right? I mean Ariel isn't even my favorite Disney princess. It's Jasmine!"

Regina rolled her eyes yet again at the conversation that Ariel so often had with guys she had just met.

'Here, I think you need one of these. I know I do," Regina handed her friend a drink and started to down her own.

Ariel introduced Regina to her new friend and they made small talk before Regina left to get two more drinks. Her heart was pounding but she definitely had more than enough liquid courage in her for what she was about to embark on.

The brunette stumbled into the other room where she found Landon and saw Emma sitting on a couch on the opposite side of the room. She was laughing and joking with some of her friends and Regina thought she looked gorgeous.

"You said her name is Emma, right," Regina half slurred.

"Uh, yeah. You gonna go talk to her?"

"You betchya."

"Don't you want to know if she's even into girls first," Landon held her back.

Regina smirked, "Landon, this is me we're talking about. It doesn't matter if she's into girls or not. She will be into me,".

He laughed as he watched his friend crookedly strut over to the blonde.

"Is this seat taken," Regina asked as she sat down next to the blonde without waiting for an answer.

"Umm yeah. By you now." Emma turned her attention to the brunette that she was sure was way out of her league.

"Good. I'm Regina." She introduced herself and handed Emma the extra beer.

"Thanks, Regina." She took a sip of the drink. "I'm Emma."

Regina tried her best to bat her eyelashes in her drunk state. "I saw that you're pretty talented when it comes to beer pong. What else are you talented at?"

"Well, thanks. I'm pretty good at art. I'm a senior art major. How about you?"

"Political Science, pre Law."

"Impressive," Emma raised an eyebrow at the brunette. She scanned the brunette's body before settling on her right wrist. " You've got a timer, huh? Too bad it's not lit up. I bet there's a million people wishing that theirs would match up with yours."

Regina quickly covered up her wrist, embarrassed.

"Ummm, no. Not many people. Let's not dwell on my misfortune. I don't see a timer on your wrist."

"Nope," Emma replied simply.

"Nope?"

"I never wanted one so I never got one. Simple as that."

Regina was dumbfounded. "But how will you know who you're supposed to be with?"

"You just know when you're in love. Have you been in love before, Regina?"

The brunette swallowed. "I think so. I'm not really sure though."

Emma leaned in closer. "It doesn't matter if it's the first or the 600th time you see them: they always manage to take your breath away. You get tingles all the way from your ears, to your heart, to your stomach, then to your toes. Every day with them feels like the first day because you always learn something new about each other. Sometimes your heart physically hurts because you love them so much. That's why I don't need a timer. I'll just know."

Regina was at a loss for words and she just stared into Emma's eyes.

"Anyways, at least I hope that's how it'll be," she said before taking another sip of her beer.

"Yeah, me too," Regina said barely above a whisper.

The two of them continued to get to know each other for a little bit although Regina wouldn't remember most of it in the morning.

"It's getting late. Or early I guess. Where do you live? You want me to walk you back to your place?" Emma helped Regina up as she realized it was 3 am.

"Umm I live like two blocks away. Sure, thanks."

Emma helped Regina to her place even though it was a hassle getting directions out of the drunk girl.

"Alright, is this your place?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," Regina muttered looking up. "Here, put your number in here so I can thank you in the morning." Regina handed Emma her cellphone.

The blonde giggled and put her name and number in the phone with a winky face next to her name.

Emma handed the phone back and noticed that Regina was staring at her lips.

"Or, I could thank you personally in the morning."

She leaned in and let her lips meet the blonde's. Their lips started moving against each other's and Regina felt herself melt into Emma. She felt hands on her hips so she decided to press further and slipped her tongue into the beer tasting mouth that was on hers. The brunette could hear herself moan into the kiss and she could swear Emma returned her moan.

Emma gently pushed Regina off her and broke the kiss.

"Do you want to come upstairs," Regina battered her eyes.

"I'm not really the kind of person who sleeps with someone they barely know. Sorry."

Regina suddenly frowned, embarrassed, and started playing with her wrist.

"Oh, okay. Well thanks for walking me back."

"Hey," Emma grabbed Regina's wrist before she could walk away." You have my number though. You can text me when you wake up if you'd like to grab some coffee."

"Okay. Thanks, Emma." Regina offered up a small smile.

"Goodnight, Regina." She watched the brunette walk inside and smiled to herself as she made her way back home.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Sorry it took me longer than expected to upload this chapter. I've been busy with work and I wasn't too happy with the outcome of this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! :)

All mistakes are my own.

*I don't own OUaT or TiMER.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Regina was walking around her apartment making sure she had everything ready for her first day of school tomorrow. Her book bag was packed with her school supplies and her outfit was already picked out. She couldn't stop playing with the blank gray strip on her wrist: nervous was her last year of undergrad. According to her mother's plans, she should have found her soul mate by now and on the verge of scoring an entry level job at a law firm (if she must work). All she had was an internship lined up for when she graduated. Cora expected Regina to marry a wealthy guy from a nice family who was hopefully on his way to becoming a doctor or something as equally prestigious. The brunette shuddered at the idea.

Cora wanted her daughter to be a housewife. She believed that because of her status and good looks she did not need to work. That pushed Regina to achieve her goals even more.

The young woman longed for someone to be by her side in every aspect of her life. She wanted to be challenged: in authority, in the bedroom, and to be a better person. her match would be someone who coddled her when she needed it but also wouldn't put up with any of her bullshit. It was no secret that Regina was a control freak. She wanted someone to help calm that side of her down. She longed for a partner to make her feel as young as eighteen when they turn eighty. A timeless love was what she craved.

But as the days went on and her timer failed to turn on and point her in her destiny, the more she believed that her fantasy would remain just that- a fantasy. So it's no surprise that she never contacted the charming Emma after they parted ways. Why should she bother with something that would most likely end in nothing? Regina was starting to have herself convinced that she would never have a romantic happy ending. Emma didn't need to be dragged into her whirlwind of a life.

Hadn't she just met Emma the other night though? The brunette was so sure that the answer to why she had been thinking so much about the blonde was simply because of her crazy obsession. Nothing else. Yes, she was attractive but she hardly knew the woman. She also was not Regina's type. Emma was more hip, unique, and didn't have a vacation home in the Hamptons that Regina was used to. There was no way they could ever work together. Even if it felt electric when they kissed.

The brunette just shook away all thoughts about the woman and continued about getting her school supplies ready. She was eager to see what this semester would hold for her.

* * *

Regina was rushing to her second class of the day. She looked down at her watch and mentally scolded herself.

_Maybe I put too much faith in myself. There's no way I'm going to make it._

Her first class was a mock courtroom course that started at 9:00 am and ended at 10:30. She had a general requirement left to fill for literature and the only class available started at 10:45 on the opposite side of the campus. Regina, being the determined person she was, thought that she would make it. She had two minutes until the class started and she was still three buildings away. Never one to be late, she broke out into a jog.

_Thank god I wore flats today._

The brunette was certainly not looking forward to this class. While she loved to read, she wasn't fond of taking a basic literature course with fifty freshman. These courses also often demanded a lot of time between writing essays and reading books. She was nervous that she would fall behind due to her intense and vigorous pre-law courses. But she figured she would manage a way to balance everything, she always did.

By the time she finally rushed into the classroom, there were only two seats left. One was squished right in the center of the room and she didn't think she would make it there. The other was close to the back of the room and much easier to get to. She chose the latter even though she loathed the back of the room. Regina rushed into the seat and threw her belongings down in front of her in a huff. Flipping her hair back, she got her notebook and pen ready to take notes.

"This class should be a bore, huh?" A voice next to her snapped out of her thoughts. She looked to her left and gasped.

"You're in this class?" Her eyes were wide as she inspected the blonde beauty that was Emma Swan beside her.

"Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here."

"Alright then. There is no need to get snippy."

Emma rolled her eyes as Regina whipped her head forward to face the professor who started talking. He went over the syllabus and Regina tried to focus as best as she could. However, Emma was playing a game on her phone under the table and Regina kept sneaking looks at the blonde.

"Must you do that right now," Regina whispered.

Emma cocked her head at the oblivious professor. "It's not like I'm missing much."

"Well besides the basics of this course, you're distracting _me_."

"How am I distracting you? Maybe you should keep your eyes to yourself."

Regina's eyes widened as Emma's voice rose and the professor sent them a warning glare. His next instructions made Regina's mouth go dry.

"Take the next five minutes or so to introduce yourselves to the person next to you. They will be your partner in the semester-long assignment I briefly discussed. We will discuss it more next class."

"He cannot be serious," Regina muttered as she looked at the blonde who was rolling her eyes at her.

"No fucking way."

"You cannot possibly be complaining about being paired up with me. I have a 4.3 GPA and I will not let this course be any different. You have, what? A "C' average?"

"A 3.8, but thanks. I, on the other hand, actually text people like I say I will. Especially after they treated me so well."

"This is what your attitude is all about? Because I didn't text you?"

"Duh! I thought we connected. It seemed like you thought so too since you were practically dragging me into your apartment to have sex with you. It would have been nice, even decent, to get a 'thank you' text from you."

Regina's mouth dropped open but she failed to form any full words. "I-umm, I, ah."

"Yeah, figures. You think you're too good for me. That's fine. Talk to the teacher and get a new partner. Text me who my new one is. That is, if you still have my number."

With that, the blonde gathered up her belongings and left the classroom. The teacher didn't seem to notice and let everyone leave shortly after.

Regina chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about how her actions (or lack thereof) had hurt Emma. She did like her, in fact she wanted to get to know her even better. The blonde woman intrigued her. But the brunette always managed to mess up any relationship she was in. Her life was so hectic and and her heart was still scarred that she wasn't willing to attempt to forge any sort of romantic relationship with anyone right now.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her contacts until she found Emma's name. Her lips pressed together as she typed out a text message to apologize but then deleted it before she sent it. Apologizing would just pull her into the mystery that was Emma Swan. A mystery that Regina desperately wanted to uncover but also avoid at all costs. If the result was her seeming like a cold bitch in Emma's eyes, then so be it.

The brunette took a deep breathe and held her head high as she made her way to get some coffee.

* * *

Emma was frustrated with herself for showing her emotions so openly to Regina. To a girl she barely even knew. But one she instantly felt connected to. The young woman was usually great at masking her feelings, unless it was with her family or someone she was dating. So why was it already different with Regina when this was only the second time they had seen each other?

She tried to stop analyzing her actions and feelings and forced herself to just accept what she thought was the truth. Regina was too good for her- much like the other girls Emma had chased after before. It seemed as though she had an eye for rich girls who only used Emma for their gain then tossed her away like she was beneath them.

The blonde woman was hot and she knew it. She always had people around her vying for her attention. So why was she so keen on putting her heart in places it clearly didn't belong? Emma loved a challenge though and her charm knew no bounds.

But something was different with Regina. Emma didn't see her as a challenge, she immediately saw her as a threat. A threat to the walls she spent so many years and heartbreaks building. So she did the only thing she could think of when she felt her emotions getting out of her control: she ran. She ran away from Regina and pushed every confusing thought of the brunette out of her head.

She would solve this issue of a mysterious and intriguing woman like she had done a few times before. She would find another girl who wouldn't give her the time of day and chase her until she got what she needed. Until she satisfied that temporary craving that always immediately came back full force.

Emma Swan was many things and on that list was a masochist. Not in the bedroom but with emotions. When she couldn't figure out or control her own emotions, she tried to move past them. And in order to do that she would seduce another woman and cut off all ties as soon as it got serious. It was true that Emma often felt like she was the one being thrown away- these girls never really put up a fight to keep her around. But in all honesty, Emma was the destroyer of those "relationships".

She why had she lied and turned down going into Regina's apartment the night of the party? Because she knew from the get go that Regina was nothing like any of those other girls. Her craving wouldn't have been satisfied, it would have intensified. She would crave more of Regina and no one else. Which is exactly why she needed to keep as much distance between them as possible.

Right? Right.

At least that's what she kept trying to convince herself of.

This is exactly why she refused to ever get a timer. If she knew who her soul mate was, she was bound to destroy everything they could potentially have.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** To clarify for any confusion, the timer works only when both soul mates have a timer. Once it is installed and both parties have one, it will flash and have a countdown to the years/months/days/minutes/seconds until you lock eyes with that person. It will no longer be blank or simply gray. Hope this clears it up! :)

So sorry it has taken me so long to update this story. My writers block has been hitting me hard lately and my life has been hectic. I will continue on with this story though! :) Thanks for reading, enjoy. :)

* * *

**Chapter Three**

It was two days later and Regina was thrilled when her mock courtroom class got let out early. This means she could be early to her next class just how she liked. Although she was dreading the confrontation she was about to face with Emma.

As the brunette walked to her literature class she reflected on a decision that she made two nights ago. She refused to let another decision that her mother made for her dictate the way she lived her life. It has become habit to constantly check her timer, partly praying for a change to see it come to life but partly relieved when it stayed the same. Because if she was honest with herself she had no idea how she would react if she actually got an answer. But this semester she refused to let her obsession with finding her soul mate take over her life. There's no way she could back off cold turkey though, right? Not when it's become an integral part of her life and the way she acts in relationships. So she's allowing herself a look at the gray strip in the morning when she wakes up and at night when she goes to bed.

She finds herself fidgeting with it though on her walk because of the nerves. When she realizes what she's doing, she mentally scolds herself and removes her fingers from playing with it.

Regina desperately wants to find love but she also wants it to be real and not forced. That's one reason that pushed her to make this decision. Whenever she found herself interested in someone there was always a problem when it came to the timer. If they had a timer, theirs didn't match up. That always put the idea in Regina's head that it would be a waste of time and emotions to continue that relationship. If they didn't have a timer, then she wanted them to get one so that she could find out if they were a match made by the fate gods. The more mismatched timers she encountered, the more she thought she didn't have a match.

No longer would she dwell on all that. She wanted life to come as a surprise and not try to control it anymore. Regina loved having control but she loved being happy more. This was a start to living her life in a healthier and happier way. Or so she had hoped.

She arrived to her literature class ten minutes before it started and she rolled her eyes as she took the same seat she sat in last class. The seat was in a location she did not like but she figured there was no other choice if she was going to sit next to Emma.

For the next five minutes Regina began reading the first book their class would discuss. She was interrupted when she heard a body slam down in the chair to her left. A groan escaped from the blonde's mouth as she rolled her eyes.

"Didn't you get us new partners? Why are you sitting here?"

Regina took a deep breath. "No, I did not. This is our problem to deal with, not the professor's. We can work this out together."

"You've got to be kidding me. I need a reliable partner so that I can get a good grade on this project."

"I am reliable. Give me some time to prove it to you."

"Yeah? Well what am I supposed to do when my time is wasted and I can't get it back?"

Regina closed her eyes. "I know all too well about wasted time. I will show you that I am a worthy partner."

Emma contemplated this for a bit and sighed. "Fine."

The brunette gave a small, triumphant smile before it was wiped away as soon as the blonde opened her mouth again.

"But I have some ground rules. You must always be reachable if I should need your help and you have to respond within an hour. The only exception is when you're in class or asleep."

Regina nodded in agreement to Emma's demands.

"You must put in as much effort as I do in this project."

"Of course. I always go above and beyond-"

Emma stopped her.

"And we will meet up every Tuesday afternoon after our classes at the Daily Grind to discuss the project and work on it. You will, of course, be buying my coffee."

Regina opened her mouth to protest but Emma gave her a warning glare before anything could come out.

"Fine. Maybe you'll view me as a friend by the end of this semester."

Emma laughed, "Don't push it, Regina,".

The professor finally came in the room and began their lesson for the day.

Butterflies crept into her stomach as she thought about being able to work side by side with Regina all semester. Sure, she was still mad at the girl for being rude and inconsiderate. But she could still be excited about working with a sexy, _very_ sexy, woman for the next few months. She sneaked a glance out of the corner of her eye at the beautiful girl. With force, she pressed her lips together and turned her attention to the professor.

* * *

Regina was pacing around her apartment later that night while gripping index cards in her left hand and talking with her right. She was practicing and rehearsing for her upcoming mock trial class but she found it hard to concentrate. With a groan, she slapped the cards down on her desk and immediately began to play with the timer on her wrist. The brunette gave in to her wandering thoughts and went back and forth in her own mind.

Emma had been at the back of her head all day. She felt so bad about hurting the blonde's feelings when they met. Although she had apologized, she knew it wasn't enough to Emma. Words went a long way but actions went even farther. First impressions were extremely important and while she had made a good one, her second one was obviously terrible. That prevented them from being able to form a true friendship and get to know each other better.

Regina was determined to change the blonde's opinion of her and become friends. But why was she so determined? Sure, she felt a connection between them the night they met but that doesn't matter when Emma doesn't even want to work with her in class. Regina was desperate to change the nature of all of her new relationships: romantic and friendly. Because of her mother she had constantly been living every aspect of her life due to a schedule. She was ready for change after a bunch of failed relationships; she _needed_ a change.

The brunette was always and extraordinary student but Emma's lack of faith in her pushed her even harder to go above and beyond. Realizing that she would no longer be able to focus on anything else for the rest of the night, she put away her things for the mock trial class and got out her notes for her literature class.

Their semester long project consisted of working together to write a piece of fiction that would convince their professor that it was contemporary piece written by an influential author from the early 1900's or earlier. Emma and Regina had been assigned to Shakespeare. Regina found it ironic since their relationship had already suffered a seemingly demise like most Shakespearean stories often portrayed.

The brunette got to work by reading biographies about his life and selected works. Her first assignment was to bring Emma all of the information about him that seemed important for them to be able to fully understand him. She got busy reading and quickly filled up five note pages with facts.

She finished when she was satisfied with the amount of work she had completed and she put everything away. After she completed her nightly routine, she crawled into bed and took a deep breath. She gave into her personal allowance and stared at the gray strip on her wrist. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness when she noticed it was still blank. Trying to clear her mind, she closed her eyes and let sleep take her somewhere else.

* * *

Emma was on her way to class when she felt her phone vibrate. Her nose crinkled when she saw that it was an unknown number. With curiosity coursing through her, she opened the text message.

**Hi, Emma. This is Regina Mills. I wanted to let you know that I have completed parts 1A and 1B of our project. I know our usual meetup will be Tuesdays but I was wondering if you'd like to get ahead on the project this weekend?**

Emma didn't want to admit it but when she saw that it was from Regina her heart began to race. She rolled her eyes and feigned annoyance even though no one was there to see her. The only person she was trying to convince that she didn't care about the brunette was herself. She hesitated for a few more minutes before responding.

**You're treat? I like pizza. And beer. But you already know that. I'm free Sunday. Does that work for you?**

The blonde unconsciously let out a smile as she put her phone back in her pocket. A new text didn't come from Regina until she made it to her class.

**Yes, it does work. And of course, my treat. I'll see you at 1 pm? Just let me know where you'd like to meet.**

In her mind, she swears that she was not flirting with Regina. It was just a playful banter.

**Alright, your majesty. I'll tell you where to meet your knight in shining armor later. ;)**

Class started and Emma was surprisingly excited for Sunday to come.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry this has taken so long to be put up. I have been extremely busy and had writer's block for a bit. Thank you for your support with this story!**

***All mistakes are my own (I didn't proofread whoops).**

* * *

**_Hi, Emma. This is Regina Mills. I wanted to let you know that I have completed parts 1A and 1B of our project. I know our usual meetup will be Tuesdays but I was wondering if you'd like to get ahead on the project this weekend?_**

_Emma didn't want to admit it but when she saw that it was from Regina her heart began to race. She rolled her eyes and feigned annoyance even though no one was there to see her. The only person she was trying to convince that she didn't care about the brunette was herself. She hesitated for a few more minutes before responding._

**_You're treat? I like pizza. And beer. But you already know that. I'm free Sunday. Does that work for you?_**

_The blonde unconsciously let out a smile as she put her phone back in her pocket. A new text didn't come from Regina until she made it to her class._

**_Yes, it does work. And of course, my treat. I'll see you at 1pm? Just let me know where you'd like to meet._**

_In her mind, she swears that she was not flirting with Regina. It was just a playful banter._

**_Alright, your majesty. I'll tell you where to meet your knight in shining armor later. ;)_**

_Class started and Emma was surprisingly excited for Sunday to come._

* * *

**Chapter Four**

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Emma's sudden outburst made Regina jump and drop her fork on her plate.

"Emma, what in the world are you talking about?"

The blonde looked at her in disbelief. "Have you ever had a chicken wing before?"

"Of course I have. What are you getting at?"

"You're eating it with a _fork_."

Regina cocked her head to the side and shot Emma a glare. "Is there something wrong with attempting to _not_ make a mess while I eat?"

Emma stared at the brunette for a minute before grabbing a chicken wing and sloppily digging into it. In a matter of mere seconds she managed to get sauce all over her mouth and her hands. She chewed with her mouth open and presented herself as ungraceful as possible.

"See? Not so bad. Tastes better this way too," Emma proclaimed with a mouth full of food.

Regina's mouth was agape before she quickly gathered her bearings. "I hardly believe that it can taste any different whether you eat it from a utensil or your bare hands." She picked her fork back up and delicately took a bite. "Also, you're disgusting."

The other woman smiled wide as she continued to eat and watch Regina. "Yeah, but you like it."

The brunette shot her a warning glare before smirking at her plate, hoping that Emma wouldn't catch it.

A few minutes passed while the two women ate their pizza and wings in a comfortable silence.

Emma took a big swig of her beer before deciding to speak. "Thanks for suggesting this, Regina. This food is great."

Regina hesitated for a minute before speaking quietly. "The company's not so bad either."

The flirtatious remark made Emma blush, something she was not expecting to happen. All she managed to do in return was force out a chuckle and mumble, "Yeah,".

They continued to get to know each other better as they finished their lunch. it was surprisingly easy for them to keep a happy conversation going; especially considering how little they had been getting along lately.

When they were done, they continued to drink some beers and work on their literature project.

"Damn, you really did get a big start on this project. Thanks." Emma marveled over the pages of notes that Regina made a few days ago.

"It's not a problem. I know that we both want to excel in this class so I did what I could to get us ahead."

'Well, it's awesome."

Emma flashed Regina a smile that the brunette hadn't seen since the night they met. It made her feel so happy because for at least that moment, they were acting like friends.

* * *

The women were so engrossed in their project that they didn't even realize how much time had passed. Emma was going on a tangent about an idea for their project while Regina listened intently. She made some notes while Emma finished talking and stole a glance at her cellphone.

"Oh my god. Emma, it's 7:30."

Emma's eyes widened. "Holy shit! We've been here since like noon!"

The brunette smiled, "I guess time flies by when you're working ahead and having fun,".

"I guess so," the blonde laughed.

"We should probably get going before they kick us out."

They packed up their things and headed out the door after paying their bill.

"You really didn't have to pay for all of that, Regina. When I said 'your treat' I was only joking."

"I know but I wanted to. So don't' worry about it," Regina reassured her.

Emma shuffled her feet back and forth, not wanting their day together to end.

"I could treat us to some coffee if you'd like. I mean, you know, if you don't have any other plans or anything. As long as you're not sick of me yet."

Regina let out a sweet laugh. "That would be lovely, thank you."

They walked in a slightly awkward silence to a nearby coffee shop. Both women wanted to say something but had to idea what to talk about.

Emma could feel her heart pounding but she wasn't quite sure why. Of course she was attracted to the brunette but she had been burned once by her. Emma swore to herself that once someone screwed her over, she would walk away and never look back. She attempted to reason with herself internally. They were just partners on a class project together, right? Maybe even friends (almost) but that was definitely it. So why was Emma suddenly so nervous and not wanting the night to end?

The blonde pushed her thoughts away and just enjoyed the rest of their evening together.

* * *

After another two hours at the coffee shop, they finally decided that it was time to head home. Their goodbye was only mildly awkward; to which Regina ended it with a handshake.

Regina lay down in her bed and couldn't help but smile as she reflected on her day. She thought to herself that it seemed as though she was starting to complete her mission of getting Emma to be her friend.

It suddenly dawned on the brunette that she had not indulged in a single glance at her timer since the day started. It made her feel free for once in the past few years. She tried to convince herself that it was all the homework that had her distracted. However, deep down she really knew it was Emma that kept her distracted.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next two weeks came and went without being very eventful. The girls worked on their project a few times but that was about all the interaction they had with each other. They were supposed to make a quick presentation on the progress of their project tomorrow. Usually, presentations never bothered Regina. After all, she wanted to be a lawyer, she'd practically always be making presentations.

However, she was particularly nervous about this presentation. Regina didn't want to mess anything up for Emma's sake. She also didn't want to embarrass herself in front of the blonde. So she spent the entirety of her Sunday practicing and memorizing everything she possibly could about their project.

Once Regina was satisfied that she was prepared enough, she attempted to go to sleep. Her nerves were in overdrive though and she played with the timer on her wrist. Some habits were proving hard to break.

* * *

_Oh my god. Oh my god. Okay, I can do this. I know exactly what I'm talking about._ Regina internally repeated this to herself before the professor called her and Emma up for their presentation.

Emma gave her a warm smile and led them to the front of the room. Regina shakily got the powerpoint ready and began her speech.

"I'm Regina and this is Emma. Our project is on William Shakespeare, the great playwright." Her eyes scanned the room and she was suddenly very aware of everyone's eyes on her. She looked to her right and saw Emma give her a nod of encouragement.

"Though he only lived for 53- no, 52- years, he managed to accomplish a lot..." Regina trailed off and was unknowingly fidgeting with her timer.

Lucky for her, Emma noticed the struggle and took over without missing a beat. The blonde finished their presentation without anymore slip ups.

Once class was over, Regina was so embarrassed and nervous to face Emma. They walked out of class together and Emma lightly patted Regina on the back.

"Oh, Emma. I am _so_ sorry. I completely fucked up our presentation." She hung her head towards the ground.

"Hey, Regina. You didn't fuck anything up. You did great, there was just a little slip up. Nothing big."

Emma flashed Regina her usual warm smile and made the brunette instantly feel better.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! I mean you could have thrown up or shit your pants in front of everyone. _That_ would have been bad."

Regina gasped, "Oh my god, Emma! That is disgusting,".

"Yeah, but it's true," Emma giggled.

The brunette laughed in return and Emma gave her a flirtatious nudge in the shoulder. A blush crept up Regina's neck.

"Umm, well I have another class to get to now but I'll talk to you later?"

"Uhh, yes, of course," Regina bit the inside of her cheek to keep from embarrassing herself even further.

They exchanged shy smiles then went their separate ways.

Even though Regina was embarrassed, she felt better knowing that Emma had her back.

* * *

Regina was trying to fall asleep later that night but she couldn't shake a strange feeling. It had rushed over her right before she got into bed. She couldn't describe what the feeling was but she knew it was strange. So Regina chewed her bottom lip and fidgeted with her timer until she finally dozed off.

* * *

A soft beeping noise woke Regina up with a start. She hazily looked around her room until her eyes stopped on her clock.

_2:35_ she thought to herself as she scrunched up her nose.

The beeping continued and Regina was puzzled. There was a slight blue glow coming from underneath her covers and she pulled out her arms.

"Holy shit," the brunette whispered as she inspected her now activated timer.

The countdown had begun.

**1 day, 10 hours, 5 minutes.**

Regina apparently had a soul mate. And she would see that person in less than two days. Heart heart was racing by now and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it or not. It's not like she had much of a choice however, so she tried to think of all the potential good that could come from this.

Her mind wandered with multiple scenarios before drifting off back to sleep.

* * *

The alarm clock went off and woke Regina up from the light sleep she fell into just three hours prior. She sat up in a frantic mess and couldn't remember why she felt so nervous for a minute. That is, until she looked down at her right wrist.

**1 day, 7 hours.**

_So it wasn't a dream._

Regina got up and got ready as best as she could without thinking about it too much.

_I still have an entire day, I need to save some of these nerves for tomorrow._

The brunette was ready an hour later and she confidently stepped outside. Unfortunately, her confidence slowly slipped away as she began to make eye contact with every person she walked past.

_Well, I guess you're not my soul mate, _she thought as she exchanged a smile with a passerby.

_Good thing it's not you. Not that you're ugly, just not my type._

A woman close to her age walked by and Regina couldn't help but stare.

_Damn. Too bad it's not you._

Regina mentally scolded herself as she was reminded that she does, indeed, have a soul mate. Of course she was still a single woman but she suddenly felt as though she was cheating. She lightly laughed under her breath and focused on the day ahead of her.

* * *

**13 hours, 57 minutes.**

Regina lie down on her bed later that night and prayed for the strength to not throw up her dinner. This was the last night she would have to sleep without knowing who her soul mate is.

_Oh my god. What if they want to come over? I haven't cleaned in five days. Wait, it would probably be too soon to come over. We can go out for dinner or something instead._

Her mind went wild but she eventually managed to fall asleep.

* * *

Regina checked her email before heading out the door to her mock trial class. And thankfully she did because her literature class was cancelled for that day. As if on cue, Emma sent her a text message in regards to the cancellation.

**Hey, do you want to meet at like 12:30 to work on our project since there's no class today?**

The brunette was only slightly annoyed at Emma. She was supposed to meet her soul mate at 12:40 and she really didn't want the blonde around for that. But on the other hand, they needed to work on their project and they were finally becoming friends.

**Okay, that sounds fine. I shall warn you though, I do have some plans shortly after.**

Okay, so no that she _actually_ had plans, but she was hoping to. It didn't take long for her to get a response.

**Ha, no problem, princess ;)**

**Usual place then?**

**Of course. See you later.**

Regina made it to her class and hoped that it would rush by. Of course all that did was make it go by even slower.

* * *

It was finally time for Regina's class to let out and she rushed out of the room. The brunette was early to the coffee shop (as per usual) but that didn't stop her from being annoyed.

**15 minutes.**

Regina tapped her feet and scrolled through her various social media accounts.

**9 minutes.**

_Ugh, where in the world is Emma?_

She angrily typed out a text message to the blonde.

**Where are you? I already told you that I have other plans than waiting for you all day.**

**4 minutes.**

_Jesus fucking Christ._

Regina got her things out for their project and watched the people around her as a distraction.

The door to the coffee shop opened and Regina heard a crash and frantic apology behind her.

"Fuck! I am so sorry. Let me get that for you."

She recognized the blonde's voice and she was seething when she turned around to scold her for holding her up.

"Emma! It's about time you got here!"

Their eyes met and Regina noticed that Emma looked frazzled yet beautiful.

"I'm so sorry, Regina. I realized I left half my shit at home by the time I got halfway here."

She went to sit down but paused and scrunched up her nose.

"What is that noise?"

Regina was confused until she realized there was a beeping noise in the background. It was hard to hear because of the noise of the coffee shop.

"No. No it can't be."

She looked at her wrist and saw that her timer was flashing and beeping. Then she looked back up at Emma who was doing the same thing.

"No, but you don't have a timer."

Emma held up her wrist to show her equally flashing timer.

"I got one after class the other day," she shrugged.

All Regina could do was shake her head.

_This must be some kind of mix up. There is no way this is possible._

Emma's cheeks were red with embarrassment.

"I guess you kind of inspired me to get one. I wanted to know and I wanted my soul mate to know too."

She fell down into the seat opposite of the brunette.

Regina was still dumbfounded when she finally replied. "Wow. I definitely wasn't expecting this."

"Yeah," Emma agreed.

"But you hate me."

"I do not hate you! You might not be my favorite person but I certainly don't hate you. I mean, come on, did you expect to see someone else and you guys would immediately love each other?"

Regina's blank stare and rosy cheeks gave Emma an answer.

"Oh. You did. Well we obviously had some sort of connection when we first."

The brunette smiled thinking back on that night.

"Yes, we did."

They both sat there lost in their own thoughts for a few minutes until Regina found the words to say.

"Can we keep trying to be friends? I really like how we've been doing lately."

"Of course," Emma reached out a hand and put it on top of Regina's. They both stared at their hands for a minute and suddenly Emma felt embarrassed and awkward, so she removed it.

"I like how we've been going too." Emma smirked, looking down at the table. "But that doesn't mean I won't try to hold your hand every now and then."

Now it was Regina's turn to blush again. There really was a lot of blushing between the two in just under twenty minutes. While Regina liked flirty Emma, she wasn't ready to admit that out loud.

"Should we try to work on our project?"

"I guess we should."

Both women were still getting used to this slight change between them but they quickly fell back into their usual pattern.

Emma stole a sip of Regina's coffee.

"Hey! Get your own. Plus, you don't even like yours the way I get it."

"That's true, you should start getting it how I like it. But since we're soul mates doesn't that mean you like _have_ to share your coffee with me now," the blonde gave her a wink.

Regina rolled her eyes in return. "Whatever."

They continued to silently work for another minute.

"You look cute today," Regina softly said.

Emma gave her a wide grin. "Thanks. So do you."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **So sorry it has taken me so long to update. Life is crazy busy at the moment. Thanks for sticking around :) tell me what you think!

All mistakes are my own and I own nothing (unfortunately).

* * *

**Chapter 6**

It had been a week since the two women found out that they are each other's soulmate. Surprisingly enough, not much had changed between them so far. They continued to work on their project together and act as if nothing had changed. That is, of course, until the following weekend.

Emma invited Regina to go bowling with her Saturday night. They agreed on meeting at Regina's apartment at seven that night.

Regina tried on at least six different outfits before finally deciding on a pair of dark skinny jeans with a dark blue, three quarter length shirt. There was a slight chill in the air but Regina convinced herself that she didn't need a jacket.

There was a knock on her door just as she finished getting ready.

The brunette opened the door and her jaw immediately dropped.

"Umm, hi, Emma."

The blonde was wearing some jeans that looked as if they were painted on, black combat boots, a white (almost) see through t-shirt, and a leather jacket. Her hair fell in long curls and framed her face.

Emma smirked at the obvious effect she was causing on the brunette.

"Hello. You look nice."

"Thank you. So do you."

Emma held out her hand, "Are you ready to go,".

"Mmhmm," Regina mumbled with a smile as she took Emma's welcoming hand. She didn't want to let on how nervous she actually was.

They had been walking for about five minutes and Regina suddenly became very aware of their still intertwined fingers. She wiggled hers a little bit against the smooth skin of the other woman.

Emma looked down at their hands and back at Regina's face.

"Is this bothering you?"

Regina squeezed a bit tighter, "No. Not at all,".

They continued to walk in silence until they reached the bowling alley.

It took a bit of convincing for Regina to finally put the previously worn bowling shoes on. But she managed to oblige when Emma called their outing a date.

"Emma, these shoes are disgusting and extremely unsanitary."

"It's fine, they clean them every time someone wears them."

"Ugh. Seriously?"

"Come on, Regina. You'll ruin our date if you don't."

Regina looked at her with wide eyes. "You consider this a date?"

"Duh, silly!" The blonde nudged her in her shoulder and gave her a playful smile.

* * *

They played one game and Regina, surprisingly, creamed Emma. The blonde's ego was so bruised that she insisted that was just a warmup game and they needed to play another round.

Regina reluctantly agreed but she secretly liked Emma's competitive side.

"Want to make the game more interesting, Swan?" She raised an eyebrow as she stared daringly at Emma.

"What are the stakes?" She took a step closer.

"If you win this game, then I'll let you teach me how to play that video game you're always going on about- Mario whatever."

Emma's green eyes widened. "I still can't believe you've never even played- let alone heard of- Mario Party."

Regina just shrugged. Emma had been telling her all about this game from her childhood. The brunette had only played or two video games in her whole life.

"Okay, so what if you win?" Then she muttered under her breath with a smile on her face, "Even though you won't,".

"If I win, then I get to choose how we spend our next date."

"_Next_ date, huh? You're feeling pretty optimistic, aren't you," she replied with a wink.

Regina simply said, "Yes, I am,".

Emma thought about it for a minute before responding.

"Okay. Sounds harmless enough."

"Game on," Regina stated as she sauntered away to start the game.

* * *

Their game ended about twenty minutes later and Regina now had a pouting Emma on her hands.

"Wow, I did not expect you to be such a sore loser."

The blonde snapped a little bit, "I'm _not_ a sore loser,".

"Really? Because you sure seem like it now. I can't imagine how your kids will be if they inherit this from you."

"Sorry. I just really hate to lose."

The brunette gave her a soft smile and put her hand on her arm.

"On the bright side, you're the best looking person in the whole bowling alley."

Emma flirted back, "Now you're just lying because we both know that's you."

Regina blushed at the compliment but it made her feel bold. So she quickly leaned up on her toes and gave the blonde an unexpected peck on the lips.

Now it was Emma's turn to blush.

"Should we get going now?"

"Yes, we probably should."

The two women left the bowling alley with their hands intertwined again and full of laughter.

* * *

Regina invited Emma back to her apartment when they realized it was only half past 9.

"Would you like to pick a movie on Netflix to watch?"

"You sure you don't want to pick it?"

Regina smirked, "Well you did lose both games tonight. I figured at least one thing could go in your favor tonight,".

Emma rolled her eyes but couldn't stifle the giggle that came out of her mouth.

"That was cute," the brunette whispered under her breath as she walked away.

"Want a glass of wine?"

"Uhh, yeah. Thanks."

Emma suddenly felt very awkward as Regina left for the kitchen. She carefully inspected the living room and noticed pictures in frames on the end tables. There was a picture of Regina at what Emma assumed to be her high school graduation. The brunette was all smiles next to three other girls. Emma loved the way Regina looked truly happy.

The next picture was Regina standing in between two older people at the beach. She heard the brunette walk back into the room and decided to ask her about it.

"Are these your parents?"

Regina walked over and handed Emma a glass of wine as she smiled.

"Yes, that's my mother and mi papa."

"What beach is this? It's gorgeous."

"That was taken when we were in Majorca, Spain. It was about three years ago."

Emma smiled and thought about how neat of a trip that must have been.

"Wow. The only beach my family takes us to is Ocean City in Maryland." Emma pointed back to the first picture. "And are these your best friends or something?"

"Yeah," Regina didn't look as happy looking at that picture. 'We were inseparable during high school but we all went our separate ways. We keep in touch when we can and try to see each other when we're all home."

"Where is home for you anyways? I just realized that we don't know where we're both from."

"I grew up in Cashers, Connecticut. It's about thirty minutes outside of New York City."

Emma's eyes widened. "That's crazy because I'm from Brooklyn."

"No way? That's a really weird coincidence."

The blonde looked deep in thought before opening her mouth.

"Do you think it's at all possible that we've ever in the same place at the same time before college? I mean, especially since we're soulmates and all."

Regina thought about it for a minute.

"I guess it's a possibility. Though we'll never know for sure."

"You're right."

A minute of comfortable silence passed between them.

"So anyways, wanna put a movie on?"

"Yeah, you pick." Regina handed her the remote after turning on the television.

Emma smirked, "We are going to watch my favorite movie. Talking about the ocean gave me the idea,".

The familiar "Jaws" theme music began to play and the brunette rolled her eyes.

"Really, Emma? This is your favorite movie?"

"Duh! It's amazing."

"But it's _so_ fake."

"So? It's a classic. It rules."

Regina let out a laugh. "How in the world are _we _soulmates?"

Emma smiled and stared into into dark, brown eyes while her heart pounded.

"Because you love when I do this."

She leaned in and gently put her lips to Regina's. Her tongue softly slipped into the brunette's mouth. But just as Regina started to pull her in more Emma pulled back, leaving her wanting more.

With her eyes still closed Regina breathed out, "You're right, I do,".

They leaned into each other and snuggled while they watched Emma's favorite movie.

Regina started thinking to herself and came to a realization. She hadn't touched her timer at all in over a day. Even though it was no longer of use to her, messing with it had been a habit she was unable to break. Until her and Emma started dating of course. She smiled as she felt everything start to fall into place.

About thirty minutes into the movie, both of them drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Please note that the rating has changed from "M" to "T". Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing xx**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Regina was the first to wake up because of the morning sun shining into her living room. She looked around to realize they had somehow ended up spooning on her couch. After she realized that her entire right side went numb, she slowly sat up. Emma was still fast asleep and Regina couldn't help but admire how cute she looked.

It only took about a minute for Emma to wake up. She was greeted with a pair of dark, brown eyes looking right into hers. Not expecting to have someone watching over her, she jumped. Regina's eyes grew wide in embarrassment at getting caught.

The brunette was too stunned to say anything so Emma laughed and graced her lips with a kiss.

"Good morning, Regina. How long have you been awake for?"

"Not long, I swear."

Emma laughed even harder. "Hey, I'm not judging you. But I am sorry for falling asleep on your couch. Especially without an invitation."

Regina shyly smiled, "You don't need an invitation, Emma. Plus, we just got our first sleepover out of the way. Even if it wasn't the most comfortable."

They continued to snuggle for a few more minutes, feeling oddly like an official couple.

"Do you have any plans for today?"

The blonde thought about it for a second before replying. Just gotta get some homework done. Why?"

"Want to get some breakfast and work on homework later? I have some brilliant ideas. Unless you're getting sick of me, of course, and would like some time to yourself."

"That sounds like the most perfect Sunday to me."

* * *

After a simple breakfast at a local cafe Regina suggested they go over tp Emma's place for a bit.

"Great idea. That way I can finally change and pick up my homework. I look like I'm doing the walk of shame."

Regina raised an eyebrow at her.

"I-I mean not that we slept together. Well, we did but we didn't, you know, _have sex_." Emma let out a sigh in frustration and her face turned bright red.

"No need to get so worked up, Em. I know what you mean." Regina lightened the mood with her cheery smile.

"I didn't mean to call you that," Regina quickly said referring to the nickname. "I am sorry if it bothered you."

The blonde thought about it for a second then smiled. "No, I like it. It's cute coming from you."

They took each other's hands and Regina revealed her intention in going to Emma's apartment.

"So I thought that maybe while we were at your place you could teach me something?"

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Emma was definitely intrigued.

"Mario's Party."

"Hell yeah! And it's just 'Mario Party'"."

"Whatever."

The two women burst out in a fit of giggles.

* * *

"No, Regina. I _promise_ you, Bowser isn't good."

"But that one time I landed on him he gave me 50 coins!"

Emma sighed. She had tried to explain this to the brunette twice already. Let's just say Mario Party wasn't one of Regina's strong suits so far.

"That happens _maybe_ once every game. The odds of him giving you coins again are slim to none. So stop trying to go over to him. Aim for Toad instead; he'll give you a star if you have enough coins."

"Mmmkay," she rolled her eyes.

The next mini game came on and Emma kept inching closer to the television screen while her tongue poked out in concentration.

"No! God dammit!"

"Jeez, Em. It's just a game." Regina laughed at the blonde's frustration.

Emma shot the other girl a look. "Mario Party is not. Just. A. Game."

They held each other's gaze for a very serious minute before bursting out into a fit of giggles.

A warning popped up on the screen that there were only five rounds left.

"God, this game goes on forever," Regina sighed.

"No way! You just don't really know what you're doing, no offense," Emma teased. "We're only playing twenty rounds, I usually play the thirty or fifty."

The brunette gave her a flirtatious nudge, "You're such a child,".

"Yeah, but you like it," the blonde winked.

Every time Emma flirted with Regina she flushed like a ripe tomato.

They fell into a comfortable silence while the finished up their game.

* * *

**Regina: **Can I take you out on my winning date this Saturday if you're free?

**Emma: **Sounds great :) when and where?

**Regina: **I was thinking around noon? And I'll text you the address soon. I'll have to meet you there but I promise it will be worth it.

**Emma: **Hmm... you're not planning on killing me &amp; burying me in the woods, are you?

**Regina: **If you keep it up, I just might ;)

**Regina: **Oh and dress warm, it's supposed to be chilly.

**Emma: **Can't wait.

* * *

*SATURDAY*

Regina was at their date location and had everything set up fifteen minutes before Emma was supposed to show up.

"Watch her show up late like she does for almost everything," she muttered under her breath.

She carefully went back over all the details in her head once more, making sure she didn't forget anything.

The brunette was pleasantly surprised when she saw Emma arrive right on time.

"You brought me to ride horses?"

"'Hey' to you too."

"Sorry, hi," the blonde gave her a kiss on the forehead and a smile.

"Riding horses is one of my favorite things to do and I'd like to share it with you."

"Okay then, I'm excited," she genuinely responded.

Regina taught Emma how to properly mount a horse and they took a very slow ride about half a mile away.

They reached their destination and Emma exclaimed at the amount of preparation Regina went through.

"Wow, Regina! This is beautiful. I haven't had a picnic in years."

Their picnic was complete with sandwiches, fruit, and a little bottle of wine on a blanket that the brunette had set up. Her heart was pounding with excitement and nerves.

They ate their lunch with comfortable conversation. It seemed as though every single day there was something new they learned about each other.

When they were finished, Regina took Emma's hand in hers and took a deep breath.

"Emma, I want to say how much I appreciate you giving me a second chance. You are one of the most caring and genuine people I have ever met. Every time I'm around you, you ground me and help me to strive to be a better person. Even before I knew you were my soul mate I felt drawn to you."

She closed her eyes for a second and took another deep breath.

"What I'm trying to get at is that I would love to continue to get to know you and experience life with you. Will you be my girlfriend, Emma Swan?"

Emma was taken aback and her eyes were welling up with tears.

"Wow, no one has ever made a speech like that for me before. That's just one of the many ways that I've come to learn that you really do care about me. I would be honored to be your girlfriend, Regina."

The brunette was relieved and Emma leaned in for a big kiss.

"You know, I've never actually asked someone to date me before, they've always asked me," Regina stated.

The blonde let out a soft giggle, "Well, you did perfect,".


End file.
